


Tony's DIY improvements

by alchemicalTyphoon



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 18:24:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7278886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alchemicalTyphoon/pseuds/alchemicalTyphoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That arm needs servicing, but Tony's tinkering conjures up some bad feelings with Bucky. Good thing good-guy Steve's there to distract him from his bad memories!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tony's DIY improvements

**Author's Note:**

> _Prompted by[this post.](http://stealthbaguette.tumblr.com/post/98774967117/kaciart-so-my-sis-and-i-were-talking-about-the)_

The chatter of this guy helps. Bucky has no idea what on earth he’s talking about - something about ‘ _interlocking systems_ ’ and ‘ _clever builds_ ’ - but then his consciousness hears ‘ _improvements_ ’. His right-hand, the one that’s still him, still flesh and blood, grips into the padded armrest. He’s hyper-aware of the shrill beeps, sounding in quick succession and he can’t feel the faint buzz of whatever tool the guy was using on his other arm, the left one, the one that’s part of him, but not his. With clenched teeth, he can feel the hardened bits of burned leather under his left arm, leftovers of a minor mishap from last week’s arm maintenance.

Maintenance. He’s not with those Nazis anymore. He’s relatively safe in Stark Towers and Stark is doing a check-up on his arm. There is no danger here. He doesn’t need to kill anyone. He can just be himself here. Bucky takes a shaky breath and manages to steady himself. The heart-rate monitor calms down. He steals a sideways glance at Stark on his left, who’s holding the… whatever it is away from him. The man blinks.

“For a second there I thought you were going to go Winter Soldier on me. Good thing that didn’t happen. You need a drink. Let’s have a drink. Jarvis, get this man a drink. Oh! Wait! No! Can’t drink! Get him a juice! Something green, like the disgusting ones Pepper makes me drink in the morning. And get me stars-and-stripes.”

“Of course sir.”

Bucky wants to say something. “ _Sorry, I freaked out_ ”? He sneaks a peek at Stark, but he’s already chattering about something else - something about maybe making a suit for an employee of his who got hurt - and the moment is gone.

His attention drifts and his mind idles with more Stark banter, blanking out, until he hears ‘ _adjustment_ ’ and ‘ _hold still_ ’. He holds still alright, but judging by the lack of buzzing and the return of the fast beeps, it’s not the kind of still he wants. His throat constricts, his eyes clench shut and both his arms are digging into the armrests as the rest of him turns rigid. The beeping speeds up, he can faintly hear Stark scooting away from him and it transforms into memories of people he doesn’t know and doesn’t care for shuffling about, working on his arm.

It’s going to hurt.

It’s going to hurt.

It’s going to-

“Bucky, which movie do you want to watch tonight? I found some interesting ones.”

At the sound of that voice, air flows back in and light hits his eyes painfully. He stares at Steve, who is holding three colourful cases in one hand and a glass of something questionably green in the other. The face his friend is making is halfway between angry and mystified.

No, it’s concern. Wow. It’s been a while since Bucky’s seen Steve concerned. Why would-?

Oh.

Bucky takes a slow breath and the beeping slows down in the span of a few minutes. He releases his right hand’s grip and covers his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose. He mumbles an apology to Stark and Steve and points at the middle case. Something about ‘Rocky’, whatever the hell that is. Steve hands him the glass of green stuff. The glass feels cold and the condensation drips on the knee of his pants. He downs it without stopping, after which Steve puts the empty glass on another table and drags a chair to his right. His friend sits down, leans forward a bit and gives his arm a gentle nudge. Bucky turns his hand up and Steve smiles as he puts his own hand in his.

“You know, you can be my hero. It takes me an hour to finish that stuff, it’s so vile and you just made it disappear like that. Oh by the way, we don’t have to do this here, I can build a small portable station and we could do the small things in the living room on the couch. Don’t think Natasha or Clint will like it, but I could just buy a new couch just for that. It’ll be more comfortable for both of us and you could watch movies while I work. It’ll be like one of those salons Pepper goes to. While I’m at it, I might as well just buy a couch for everyone-”

Stark keeps rambling on about buying more couches. Steve’s trying really hard not to snort out loud at Stark’s ramble. Bucky doesn’t particularly care about comfortable couches… He doesn’t really need them; as long as his friend’s there, he can make do with mildly singed chairs.


End file.
